Save Prospect Corp., a citizen's group that opposed construction of a commercial wind farm in Prospect, has asked state Attorney General George Jepsen to investigate a $500,000 grant that Connecticut Innovations Inc.'s Connecticut Clean Energy Fund made to BNE Energy Inc. of West Hartford in 2007 and to review the agency's application and loan process.

In a whistleblower complaint filed with the attorney general's office, the group said BNE was ineligible for the $500,000 grant because the Prospect property did not meet the requirement of having the capacity to produce at least 5 megawatts of power.

Save Prospect says that BNE's pre-loan application said the site's two proposed turbines would generate 3.2 megawatts of power. At that level, the group says, BNE was eligible for just a $250,000 grant, said Tim Reilly, the group's president. The group is demanding that BNE return $250,000 to the fund.

In response to the group's assertions, Greg Zupkus, BNE's president and chief executive, said Tuesday: "We stand by our application and appreciate the support of the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund. These anti-wind groups are demonstrating that their opposition is about more than killing projects in their own backyard; it's about making sure commercial wind energy doesn't come to Connecticut."

Under state law, whistleblower complaints are reviewed by state auditors. The attorney general's office said Tuesday that it had forwarded the complaint to state auditors and is awaiting a response.

Connecticut Innovations, a quasi-public agency, administers the Clean Energy Fund, which is funded by the state's utility ratepayers.

Connecticut Innovations could not be reached for comment.

The Connecticut Siting Council last week rejected BNE's proposal to construct two industrial wind turbines in Prospect.